Discipline Task Force Meets

A Little
Extra ...
Highlights from Board,
Committees Meetings
Learn about information pre‐
sented and action taken at Thursday’s Committees and Regular Session Board Meet‐
ings by reading the latest is‐
sue of The Board Brief. In it, you’ll find a monthly update on discipline and safety, infor‐
mation on year‐round school, and more. To view The Board Brief for January 17, 2013, click here. January 18, 2013 * Page 1
Learn Ways to Live a
Healthier Lifestyle
Jones Elementary School is hosting a Fitness and Health Extravaganza open to the public on Tuesday, January 29, at 5:30 p.m. The Fitness and Health Extravaganza features an HealthMPowers Physician session, Healthy Food Tasting Exhibit by the school’s Nutri‐
tion Department, Tae Kwon Do Demonstrations and Self Defense Techniques, and a Live Zumba fitness party hosted and conducted by a licensed Zumba instructor. For more information, call (478) 779‐2581. Graduation Schedule
Announced for 2013
The dates and times for 2013 spring commencement exer‐
cises have been announced. Graduation ceremonies will take place May 24‐25 at the Macon Coliseum. Friday, May 24 3 p.m.: Howard High School 5 p.m.: Central High School 7 p.m.: Hutchings Career Center Saturday, May 25 9 a.m.: Rutland High School 12 p.m.: Northeast High School 2 p.m.: Southwest High School 4 p.m.: Westside High School To view the schedule of high school graduation ceremonies and rehearsals, click here. Photo Courtesy of Department of Communications Deputy Superintendent of Student Affairs Edward Judie Jr., right, speaks with community member Idonia Jackson before the start of
the Discipline Task Force meeting on Thursday, January 17.
Discipline Task Force Meets
The District kicked off its next round of Discipline Task Force meetings on Thursday, January 17. Led by Hearing Officer Terrell Smith, the meeting pro‐
vided an opportunity for the District to update the commu‐
nity on improvements to discipline and safety, as well as to gather feedback from parents. The Discipline Task Force was formed in 2012 to make recommendations to the Superintendent in support of the development and implementation of a District Safety Plan as outlined in the Strategic Plan. The meetings are open to the public. The next two rounds are scheduled for March 14 and May 23. Each one will take place from 2‐4 p.m. at the Wel‐
come Center Annex, 2003 Riverside Drive in Macon. For more information about the Discipline Task Force, call (478) 779‐2583. New Director Passionate About CTAE
Dr. Cassandra
Miller-Washington
When she was young, Dr. Cassandra Miller‐
Washington dreamed of becoming a chef. The District's new Career, Technical and Agri‐
cultural Education (CTAE) Director, who said she has always loved serving others, may have strayed from a career path in culinary arts, but working as an educator has allowed her to continue serving others on a deeper level. Dr. Miller‐Washington first began her jour‐
ney in education by way of a career in hospi‐
tality management. She moved to Macon after graduating from Tuskegee University in 1994 to work as the Manager of Campus Din‐
ing for Aramark at Mercer University. While working at Mercer, she joined the university's first cohort of the Executive Master of Busi‐
ness Administration program and received her MBA in 1998. Afterward, she began working with two of the Edison Schools in Bibb County ‐ King Edi‐
son and Riley Edison. Continued on Page 2
January 18, 2013 * Page 2
Rutland High Senior’s Poetry Featured in Book
Rutland
High
School
senior
Kathryn
Whitley,
left, is
seen with
Rutland
High CTI
adviser
Cynthia
Dennis.
Photo Courtesy of Rutland High School By Daniel Daniels, Intern Rutland High School senior Kathryn Whitley is now a pub‐
lished poet. Her poem “Fear” was featured in the American Library of Poetry’s 2012 Tal‐
ented Collection. The publication is a collection of stories and poems written by students from around the na‐
tion. The Library of Poetry de‐
scribes the collection as an, “outlet and forum in which they (students) may share their thoughts, feelings, and experi‐
ences.” Kathryn said it’s an honor to be included. CTAE
Continued from Page 1
"I was the Technology Director for those two schools and that’s how I entered into Bibb County," Dr. Miller‐
Washington said. Dr. Miller‐Washington happened to meet her mentor, Ella Carter, about the same time the Bibb County School District and Edison Schools decided not renew their partnership in 2002. At the time, Mrs. Carter was serving as principal of Northeast High School and she encouraged Dr. Miller
‐Washington to become a Marketing teacher at Northeast through Geor‐
gia’s Teacher Alternative Preparation Program (TAPP). "Coming in from the industry I almost had to start over and learn a whole new arena, which was educa‐
tion," Dr. Miller‐Washington said."Mrs. Carter was very suppor‐
tive, and once you entered into her building, she would groom you and she would find your strong suits and that’s where she would guide you to allow you to develop even more." Dr. Miller‐Washington worked at Northeast from 2002‐2007, during which time she served in many ca‐
pacities, including Marketing teacher, CTAE Department Chair, Instructional Lead Teacher, and Jun‐
ior and Senior Class Adviser. She was also named Northeast's Teacher of the Year for the 2004‐2005 school year. "She's wonderful, she's energetic, she's a team player," Mrs. Carter said of the former teacher. "I've never seen anybody just like her." "She's a go‐getter, she's a perfec‐
Photo Courtesy of Department of Career, Technical and Agricultural Education In this photo from February 2012, Dr. Cassandra Miller-Washington, left, then a
Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) Supervisor, hugs Howard
High School’s Deborah Howard after Deborah was named the CTAE Student of the
Year in February 2012. Dr. Miller-Washington took over as the District's new CTAE
Director in December 2012.
tionist, and she works for the good of the organization," she said. In 2007, Dr. Miller‐Washington moved to Central High School, where she remained for two years, to re‐
vamp Central's marketing program. Later, when she became a CTAE Su‐
pervisor in 2009, she oversaw the opening of the Video Broadcasting Lab at Central as well. "That was a learning curve, but that was great," she said. In 2010, she received her doctor‐
ate in Educational Leadership from Capella University. She took over as Director of the CTAE Department in December 2012 when Dr. Sharon Joyner retired. "It’s wonderful coming behind Dr. Joyner because we had a lot of the same vision," Dr. Miller‐Washington said. "I have some things I want to take to another level, but a lot of things she started I will keep because it was something I was passionate about as well under her leadership. It’s just now in this position I have a chance to really get people to see “Only 20‐percent of entrants submissions make it into the publication,” she said. Kathryn began writing poetry in elementary school. Her first poem was about a friend. “Fear” is about her little brother. She said her submission to the American Library of Poetry was spurred by a suggestion from Rutland High School Media Spe‐
cialist, Tina Graham. “She read one of my poems, and she told me to enter it in a contest,” Kathryn said. “I did and I ended up getting published.” After graduation Kathryn plans to attend college and pursue a media specialist career. how great CTAE is." Her fellow educators are excited about moving forward with someone just as passionate about CTAE as her predecessor. "She is the leader who will not ask you to do something that she is not willing to do," said 2013 Bibb County Teacher of the Year Katie Wall, a Marketing teacher and CTAE Depart‐
ment Chair at Westside High School. "She inspires teachers the way we desire to inspire students. Even in an administrative role, she makes all decisions based on what is best for the students. Dr. Miller‐Washington truly leads by example and her pas‐
sion for education, Bibb County, and CTAE is evident in her work." During her tenure as Director, Dr. Miller‐Washington will help transi‐
tion the District's pathway courses to Career Clusters as part of the switch to Common Core Georgia Perform‐
ance Standards. She also hopes to broaden the connections between pathway courses and academic courses, and wants to expand the opportunities for students to gain hands‐on experience that will pre‐
pare them for their next steps, whether it is a career or post‐
secondary education. "When I walked in the door as a Marketing teacher I fell in love with CTAE," said Dr. Miller‐Washington. "I love CTAE and how it can impact the life of a student. When I was a super‐
visor I had an opportunity to incorpo‐
rate my ideas at my schools and I always tried to include the District, but now I get to really make sure new initiatives are implemented from the District level, which mean that all students will be served." January 18, 2013 * Page 3
Howard High FBLA
Officers Present
at Rotary Meeting
Photo Courtesy of Howard High School On Thursday, January 10, the officers of Howard High School's FBLA chapter spoke at the weekly Macon Uptown Rotary Club meet‐
ing. The officers spoke about FBLA and what the student organiza‐
tion means to them. They also discussed the various conferences they attend each year and how those conferences help prepare them for the business world. The officers also explained the impor‐
tance of community organizations that provide support to various Career Technical Student Organi‐
zations (CTSOs), and discussed the importance of developing a better partnership between CTSOs and community organizations. Pictured from left are Delaney Doolittle, FBLA President; Morgan Harden, FBLA Vice President; Mar‐
quis Chester, FBLA Treasurer; and Wynne Pearson, Macon Uptown Rotary Club President. Hutchings Students
Meet with Recruiter
for Nursing Agency
In December students at the Hutchings Career Center visited with Stephanie Newsom, Recruiting Director with the Lighthouse Nursing Agency. Many of them also filled out job applications. This spring Hutchings students will be eligible to take the Georgia Certi‐
fied Nursing Assistant (CNA) exam. CNAs work at nursing homes and mental health facilities under the direction of a registered nurse. Hutchings students received dual enrollment instruction and credit through a partnership between the Bibb County School Dis‐
trict and Central Georgia Technical College. As part of their train‐
ing, students completed 24 hours of clinical rotations at Laurel Baye Nursing Home and Bolingbroke Nursing Home. Photo Courtesy of Hutchings Career Center Miller Students Recognized for Academic Achievement
Students at Miller Fine Arts Magnet School were recently honored for scholastic and char‐
acter achievement at the school's Quarterly Honors Day Program. Students had to earn all A’s in the first nine weeks grading period to be eligible. Some stu‐
dents were also recog‐
nized for being desig‐
nated as "Student of the Month" as well. Photo Courtesy of Miller Magnet Middle School January 18, 2013 * Page 4
Special Education
Teacher Debuts
Children’s Book
Photo Courtesy of Hartley Elementary School Teacher Gladys Singletary read her new book, “A Snowman with a Heart,” to students at Hartley Elementary School on Friday, Janu‐
ary 11. The book tells the story of three brothers who build snow‐
men in different places and shows what their choices reveal about their character. Ms. Singletary, who teaches special education, said she hopes the book will help the children make good decisions. “I want to share with students the importance of having good character and values that promote a positive community and life,” she said. Students Compete in 4-H District Project Achievement
Twenty‐one Bibb County Cloverleaf 4‐H’ers com‐
peted in District Project Achievement held in For‐
syth on December 15. Project Achievement pro‐
vides 4‐H’ers with the opportunity to develop and apply communication skills. Through the District Project Achievement process 4‐H’ers practice ex‐
pository writing, improve their public speaking ability, and cultivate their presentation skills. Ninety percent of the Bibb County 4‐H’ers placed first, second or third in their project area. Barden Elementary School:  Breanna Fossett ‐ Ocean Ecology ‐ 2nd Burghard Elementary School:  Kamia Brown ‐ Communications ‐ 2nd  Chri’Shonia Carnegie ‐ History ‐7th  Fanando Smith ‐ Wildlife ‐ 2nd Lane Elementary School:  Aniya Glover ‐ Clothing and Textiles ‐ 1st Morgan Elementary School:  Danasia Bennett ‐ Food for the Family ‐ 3rd Rice Elementary School:  Solomon Tharpe ‐ Time and Money Manage‐
ment ‐ 1st Springdale Elementary School:  Alexus Ibarra‐Pina ‐ Food for the Family ‐ 1st Photo Courtesy of University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Bloomfield Middle School:  Jameisia Burnett ‐ Plants, Soils, Fertilizer ‐ 1st  JaDarius Dean ‐ Food for Health and Sports ‐ 1st  DaMarri Harris ‐ Human Development ‐ 2nd  Anthony Henderson ‐ Safety ‐ 3rd  Nicholus Jackson ‐ Performing Arts‐Instrumental ‐ 2nd  Kenneth Murphy ‐ Bicycle ‐ 2nd  Dewan Rush ‐ Wildlife ‐ 3rd  Keasia Swift ‐ Photography ‐ 1st  Quatavious Wade ‐ Sports ‐ 6th  Monisha Zellner ‐ Food Safety and Preservation ‐ 1st Howard Middle School:  Jordan Farr ‐ Fruits, Vegetables and Nuts ‐ 1st  Ommarsharie Huston ‐ Using Water Wisely ‐ 1st Miller Magnet Middle School:  Jeremiah Spencer ‐ Electric/Electronics ‐ 1st Hutchings Students
Serve in Community
for HOSA Week
Hutchings Career Center HOSA chapter members partici‐
pated in HOSA Week 2012 last semester by assisting with feeding homeless women and children at the Macon Res‐
cue Mission's Dove Center. The Dove Center is a residential program for female victims of domestic violence and their children. The students had an opportunity to gain aware‐
ness about homelessness in the community. Photo Courtesy of Hutchings Career Center January 18, 2013 * Page 5
Photographs from Jan. 17 Board Meeting
Photos Courtesy of Department of Communications The new Board met for the first time since the swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, January 8, 2013. Board members are, front row from left, Ella Carter (District 1), Susan
Sipe (District 3), and Dr. Wanda West (At Large), and back row from left, Dr. Thelma Dillard (District 2), Lynn Farmer (At Large), Lester Miller (District 4), Tom Hudson
(District 5), and Jason Downey (District 6).
From left, Ballard-Hudson Middle School Principal Kenneth
Lanier, Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning
Jane Drennan, and Bloomfield Middle School Principal
Dr. Shannon Norfleet present information on the proposed
2013-2014 academic calendar to Board members during the
Committees Meeting on Thursday. To view the proposed
2013-2014 academic calendar presented during the meeting,
click here. To view the PowerPoint presentation featuring
research on a year-round calendar, click here.
Springdale Elementary School fourth-graders Jeff Lambert, front left, and Joey Lambert, from right, led the
Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of the Board meeting. They are seen with Board members Lynn Farmer,
far left, and Dr. Wanda West, far right, and family members.
January 18, 2013 * Page 6
Jones Elementary Preps Students for College
By Daniel Daniels, Intern On Tuesday, January 15, Jones Elementary School hosted College Day. The event gave fifth grade students the chance to visit with representa‐
tives from eight colleges and one high school. Colleges included Fisk University, Georgia College and State University, Georgia Gwinnett College, Macon State College, Mercer University, Middle Georgia Technical College, Savannah State Univer‐
sity, and the University of Alabama at Huntsville. Northeast High School’s JROTC also attended the event. Students visited with each of the school’s repre‐
sentatives and had the opportunity to ask ques‐
tions. One representative attending the event was Mary Sams, a former principal of Ingram‐Pye Ele‐
mentary who now works as a recruiter with Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn. Mrs. Sams told students that keeping their grades up would make them eligible for scholar‐
ships. She said having events such as College Day in elementary schools is important because, “preparing for college starts early.” Mrs. Sams said she hopes an event like this will, “lead to more students, once in high school, visit‐
ing their counselors” to discuss college options. About This Newsletter
This newsletter is created and distributed by the De‐
partment of Communications as a means to inform the community of the events, announcements, and highlights of the Bibb County School District. Permis‐
sion to reprint unaltered photos and/or stories in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided the Bibb County School District Department of Communica‐
tions is cited. Send Us Your News!
Tell us about events happening at your school! Send an e‐mail with photos and details to Stephanie Hart‐
ley at [email protected]. Meet the Team





Dr. Donald Porter, Director of Communications, [email protected] Josephine Bennett, Webmaster/Public Relations Specialist, [email protected] Stephanie Hartley, Public Relations Specialist, [email protected] Kim Pelt, Secretary to the Director/Facility Use Coordinator, [email protected] Daniel Daniels, Intern Follow Us on the Web
www.bibb.k12.ga.us * Facebook.com/bibbschools Twitter.com/bibbschools * YouTube.com/bibbschools Mary Sams,
center, former
principal of
Ingram-Pye
Elementary
School, speaks
with students
at Jones
Elementary
School about
Fisk University
during the
school’s
College Day
on Tuesday,
January 15.
Photo Courtesy of Department of Communications “I hope to see greater college enrollment,” she said. Jones Elementary fifth‐grader Mya Coon at‐
tended the event. After visiting with college repre‐
sentatives, she said, “I learned what subjects col‐
leges offer, and I learned the requirements for acceptance.” Mya said her favorite college in the United States is Harvard University because, “It’s a classy school for gifted children.” Upcoming Varsity Games
Basketball Friday, January 18:  Central vs. Carver‐Columbus, 6 p.m. in Columbus  Howard High vs. Baldwin County, 6 p.m. at Howard  Westside vs. Mary Persons, 6 p.m. in Forsyth  Northeast vs. Bleckley County, 7 p.m. at Northeast  Rutland High vs. Veterans, 7 p.m. at Rutland Saturday, January 19:  Southwest vs. Northeast, 2 p.m. at Southwest Monday, January 21:  William Avery/MLK Classic ‐ Northeast (Boys), in Augusta Tuesday, January 22:  Central vs. Henry County, 6 p.m. at Central  Howard High vs. Rutland High, 6 p.m. at Howard  Northeast vs. Monticello, 6 p.m. at Northeast  Southwest vs. Carver‐Columbus, 6 p.m. at Southwest  Westside vs. Veterans, 6 p.m. at Westside Friday, January 25:  Rutland High vs. Mary Persons, 6 p.m. at Rutland  Westside vs. West Laurens, 6 p.m. in Dexter  Howard High vs. Veterans, 7 p.m. in Kathleen  Northeast vs. Lamar County, 7 p.m. at Northeast  Southwest vs. Jackson, 7 p.m. in Jackson Wrestling Saturday, January 19:  Eagle's Landing Tournament ‐ Rutland High, begins 8 a.m. in McDonough Tuesday, January 22:  Northeast, Monticello, 5:30 p.m. in Monticello  Rutland High, Warner Robins, 5:30 p.m. in Warner Robins Wednesday, January 23:  Northeast, GAB, Westside, 5:30 p.m. at Northeast *All games are subject to change. Please consult with the individual school for up‐to‐date schedule information.